A Blank Slate Regression for the Idol That Lost His Original Mindset - Chapter 222

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Regression Manual for an Idol Who Lost Their Original Intentions Chapter 222

I had already gotten permission from my parents, so it would be fine as long as Ryu Jaehee agreed.

“Hyung, didn’t you say you had to go to Grandfather’s House? You complained so much about not wanting to go that even I know you’re being forcibly dragged to your grandfather’s house this New Year.”

Ryu Jaehee replied bluntly.

Still, since he didn’t give me a cold rejection, it seemed like Ryu Jaehee didn’t really want to stay alone at the dormitory for three days either.

“It’s fine, we’re not staying overnight there anyway. We’ll just perform the ancestral rites, give New Year’s greetings, have a meal and come back. If you don’t want to see the ancestral rites, I’m taking my car anyway so we can arrive a bit late.”

Knowing that Ryu Jaehee found ancestral rites tiresome, I offered him an alternative.

Of course, Grandfather would obviously throw a fit about not even bowing at the ancestral table, but I was already used to getting scolded anyway.

“Stay at my family home with me for three days. Don’t just order delivery food here by yourself. You can’t cook anyway.”

Wasn’t Ryu Jaehee Rev’s official cooking disaster? Kim Dobin had succeeded at beef bourguignon or braised ribs and escaped from the cooking disaster brothers.

I can make the high-difficulty Tornado Omelette, so I still don’t understand why I was lumped together with those two guys as the cooking disaster trio.

“That’s right, Youngest Member. Follow Eden Hyung. It’s not just a regular vacation but a holiday break, so it would be lonely to stay at the dormitory alone.”

Kim Dobin also seemed bothered by Ryu Jaehee being left alone, so he joined in persuading him.

“I’d like to take you with me too, but when we go to Grandmother’s House during holidays, we always stay overnight… I’m worried it might be burdensome for you.”

Kim Dobin scratched his cheek and trailed off.

“I’m really fine, hyungs. Originally, holidays are meant to be spent warmly with family. It’s not like I don’t have family or have unavoidable circumstances – I just don’t want to go home, so you don’t need to be so considerate.”

Ryu Jaehee smiled brightly as if to reassure us, but having watched that guy for over 10 years combined before and after regression, it didn’t fool me at all.

“Hey, opportunities like this are rare. Juni has only been to my family home, he hasn’t been to my paternal family home.”

“Hajun Hyung probably doesn’t particularly want to go to your paternal family home either.”

Gyeon Hajun, who was next to me, nodded in agreement with Ryu Jaehee’s words and then spoke up.

“That’s true, but I also hope Jaehee follows Eden this time. If an emergency situation arises when you’re alone, it’s hard to handle by yourself.”

Unable to refute that statement, Ryu Jaehee pressed his lips together and just blinked.

“Of course, it would be best if nothing happens, but you never know with people’s affairs.”

After pondering Gyeon Hajun’s additional words, Ryu Jaehee looked at me and bowed his head.

“Then I’ll impose on you for three days, hyung. Please take care of me.”

I was amazed watching Gyeon Hajun successfully persuade Ryu Jaehee with just three sentences. That’s how you persuade someone.

“Since Yehyeon Hyung won’t be here either, let’s enjoy a last supper before we all scatter to our respective family homes.”

“Didn’t Yehyeon Hyung tell us to be careful with holiday food less than 30 minutes ago?”

“Yehyeon Hyung said to be careful with holiday food, he didn’t say to be careful with delivery food.”

I pulled out the bundle of chicken coupons I had secretly hidden from Seo Yehyeon and spread them out on the living room table with a flourish.

However, since we were conscious of preparing for our album and upcoming concert, we agreed on grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, and no cola or beer.

“But Ryu Jae, aren’t you going home at all?”

I elbowed Kim Dobin in the ribs for asking so tactlessly while eating chicken.

From what Ryu Jaehee had shown so far, he was reluctant to reveal his family affairs. It was rude to ask about it directly.

Ryu Jaehee shook his head briefly at me as if to say it was okay, then answered refreshingly.

“Yeah, they’re always demanding money through calls and texts saying they’re broke, so imagine how much worse it would be if they saw my face. That’s why I don’t want to go – I hate seeing that. Plus, I have things I need to cut off, as Eden Hyung advised.”

Ryu Jaehee met each of the three gazes fixed on him and smiled brightly as he spoke.

“I just thought it would be okay to open up to you hyungs. I can’t keep causing you unexplained worry forever.”

Gyeon Hajun looked relieved that Ryu Jaehee had lightened his emotional burden even a little, but I didn’t feel the same.

Before regression, Ryu Jaehee never opened up about his family affairs to the members until the end. I only found out roughly because I happened to overhear a phone call.

Back then, I thought it was just because of that guy’s pride, but seeing him open up like this, even partially, maybe that wasn’t it.

That guy must have needed someone to lean on too. We just couldn’t be that ‘someone to lean on’ before regression.

Even though I was chewing chicken, somehow it tasted bitter.

“This place is like family too. Even if it’s a pseudo-patriarchal family.”

“Ryu Jae…!”

Kim Dobin, who had been putting chicken in his mouth with teary eyes, seemed overwhelmed by the family declaration and hugged Ryu Jaehee with his greasy hands.

“Lean on me whenever things get tough!”

“No, it’s kind of awkward to lean on hyung… It feels like I’m leaning on a younger member, which makes me feel guilty…”

“Younger member! I’m clearly the hyung here!”

I was about to tell Kim Dobin that fans call him Rev’s unofficial youngest member, but I swallowed the words because I didn’t want to hear him whine.

* * *

“I said one fruit set would be enough, but you’re buying red ginseng and Korean beef sets too.”

“We’re being invited to someone else’s house, so we should bring at least this much.”

“As long as we don’t come empty-handed, it’s fine.”

I clicked my tongue watching Ryu Jaehee load up both hands with gift sets.

After loading the gift sets into the trunk, Ryu Jaehee got in the passenger seat and showed me a map on his phone.

“Oh right, hyung. Sorry, but could we stop by one place before going to your family home?”

“Sure, put the address in the navigation.”

When we arrived at the address Ryu Jaehee entered and parked nearby, I saw two boys.

“Big hyung!”

The taller of the two boys waved warmly as soon as he saw Ryu Jaehee. They weren’t familiar enough for me to recognize immediately, but they were faces that remained in my memory.

Ryu Jaehee’s two younger brothers, whom I had seen a few times before regression, were still amazingly unlike Ryu Jaehee in appearance.

They were two and three years younger respectively, I think. The second brother had already grown tall enough to be similar to Ryu Jaehee, but the first brother was a height that reminded me of Ryu Jaehee from the past.

“Here, don’t tell our parents you met hyung, use this secretly. Even if this gets discovered, hyung is sending our parents enough living expenses, so don’t let them take it away with threats about lacking money. Got it?”

“Yeah, big hyung. Thanks.”

It felt strange watching the guy who was the youngest member at the dormitory being called hyung and playing the role of an older brother.

The first brother, who opened the envelope as soon as he received it to check the contents, frowned and grumbled.

“What, you’re only giving 500,000 won?”

“Ryu Jaekyung, last time I gave you 1 million won and you spent 700,000 won on games. I was going to give you 300,000 won but gave you 500,000 won.”

At Ryu Jaehee’s sharp retort, the first brother wrinkled his brow and made an annoyed sound.

“Ah, what am I supposed to do with 500,000 won!”

I had been just watching from behind, but I couldn’t stand that attitude any longer and stepped forward.

“Hey, you.”

Ryu Jaehee’s first brother, who had been turning his head rebelliously with defiant eyes, quickly cast his gaze downward as soon as he faced me walking out from behind Ryu Jaehee. I stood in front of the guy and began lecturing him.

“When your hyung gives you spending money, you should just say ‘thank you’ and accept it. Where do you get off complaining about the amount?”

The guy’s tense body flinched intermittently at my scolding.

“Who counts spending money right in front of the person who gave it? Did you lend him money? Is Jaehee paying back money he borrowed from you? Is that why you’re counting to see if the amount is right?”

“No…”

I glanced at Ryu Jaehee, wondering if I was being too harsh on someone else’s brother, but he was smiling brightly with a refreshed expression, so I felt relieved and continued scolding.

“This young punk has no basic manners. Are you going to keep acting like this when receiving money in the future? Huh?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Sorry? Why are you sorry to me? Your hyung gave you spending money, not me.”

The guy hurriedly turned toward Ryu Jaehee and obediently offered apologies and thanks.

“Sorry, hyung. Thanks for the spending money.”

“Yeah, that’s how you should accept spending money.”

I clicked my tongue once and took out two 50,000 won bills from my wallet, giving one each to Ryu Jaehee’s two brothers.

“Here, Happy New Year to you both.”

“Hyung, you don’t need to give them anything. These guys didn’t even bow to you for New Year’s, so why give them New Year’s money?”

“How can I make them bow on the ground?”

Despite Ryu Jaehee’s protests, I ruffled Ryu Jaehee’s hair lightly and gestured to the hesitant guys.

“Thank you!”

Now that he seemed to have learned his lesson, I gave some beneficial advice to Ryu Jaehee’s first brother who was bowing politely while receiving the money.

“You, don’t spend money so recklessly on games. Do you think you’ll play that game you’re spending money on forever? When I was young, I thought I’d play StarCraft and Sudden Attack forever too. When you quit that game later, all the money you spent on it will be wasted. How regrettable would that be.”

The first brother nodded while glancing at Ryu Jaehee with desperate eyes.

Ryu Jaehee gently tugged my arm to pause my words and handed concert invitation tickets to his brothers.

“Come if you can. You don’t have to come if you can’t.”

I could clearly see what he was thinking from the way the eldest was looking at the concert ticket, so I gave him a warning.

“Don’t sell that. If you get caught selling it, you won’t be our youngest member’s brother or anything.”

“Yes sir!”

The guy snapped to attention and nodded his head frantically.

“Even if second hyung can’t go, I’ll definitely go, hyung.”

Ryu Jaehee’s second brother said with a determined face. Ryu Jaehee chuckled and lightly ruffled his youngest brother’s hair.

That habit of his was so familiar. This is why they say you shouldn’t even drink cold water carelessly in front of kids.

“This is the first time I’ve seen Ryu Jaekyung being so well-behaved. You must be pretty scary, hyung.”

After sending the younger members ahead first and getting back in the car, Ryu Jaehee giggled.

“How can you just let your brother climb all over you like that.”

“Right. I guess because I’m still his hyung, I kept being too lenient with him and that’s how it turned out.”

I roughly ruffled Ryu Jaehee’s hair as he smiled bitterly and started the car.

As soon as I entered the password for the family home’s door lock and went inside, Podo came running out first as if to greet me.

“Podo!”

Podo completely ignored me as I spread my arms wide to hug him, and instead clung to Ryu Jaehee’s legs, wagging his tail frantically while panting.

“Podo…? Hyung is right here…?”

I muttered pitifully while watching Podo’s back as he got petted by Ryu Jaehee.

That morning when I came to the family home using my homing instinct after drinking, he welcomed me not because he remembered me, but because I was a stranger to him…?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————